Internet and the Emerging True Individual
Many think of the Internet as mere technological marvel -- a form of organization that is simply an extension of the electronic products and services that came before it; in particular, the computer and various communication devices. However, the Internet is more than that. It is an outer form and expression of our individual need to explore, discover, and achieve in life. It is a social structure that allows our individuality to ripen by connecting us the wider knowledge and wisdom of society so we can thrive and fulfill our deepest aspirations in life. If the Internet is an indicator of new developments in the “support systems” of society, the individual himself is also undergoing a fundamental change. First of all, his life is becoming more oriented around his mind – i.e. he is becoming more mental. Because he is more educated, because he is more aware of the world around him, and because is more conscious of his ability to direct the course of his life, his mental bent is in ascendance -- i.e. it is becoming the true leader of his being. As a result, he perceives that he truly has the inner resources -- the knowledge and power -- to become anything he so chooses. One way this inner-directed person fulfills his deepest aspiration is by making full use of the information and knowledge available to him. As it turns out, the Internet serves this function perfectly well, as it supplies an infinite supply of facts, ideas, and insights to support his ever-deepening aspiration for self-knowledge, individual expression, and greater success. Though the Internet is an outer vehicle, still it serves an inner need -- as this vast organizational system provides truths from every segment of society so that the individual can consciously choose the future direction of his life. In addition to this mental bent that fosters a truly conscious inner-driven existence, a second contributing factor to Man’s increasing individuality is the availability of ever-greater levels of freedom in life. Unfettered by the demands of the old hierarchical order, unrestrained by old, outworn moralities and customs, the individual now feels freer than ever, even compelled to explore the vast array of possibilities available to him. This person perceives that he has full independence to become anything he puts his mind to. Once again, the Internet serves him well by providing a vast array of knowledge that he can choose from that meet his own particular needs and interests so he can reach his maximum potential. Thus, the Internet enables Man’s newly inherited freedom to mature into ever-increasing levels of fulfillment in life. A third fundamental change the individual is going through -- one not readily perceived by society, since it is more subtle and difficult to fathom -- is that he is beginning to move out of his essential Ignorance. By that term, I am not referring to the ignorance of the poor farmer or the individual who is without education, but to an intrinsic unconsciousness that is there in every person at birth: that we inherit simply by being human. There are a number of ways this essential Ignorance expresses -- including an ignorance of our fundamental makeup, i.e. the parts and planes of our nature and being; an ignorance of what purpose we serve in life; an ignorance of the fundamental laws and principles by which life operates; and an ignorance of the higher domains of life, including the spiritual. As a result, we tend to live a divided existence; cut off from the knowledge that would otherwise enable us to live truly conscious and infinitely successful lives. One particular way our Ignorance takes shape has to do with the very way we perceive reality. If we examine how we comprehend the world around us, we see that we tend to perceive only a small part of any issue or matter, rather than the multiplicity of factors that make up that object. Dominated by our fixed habits, our virulent attitudes, and our hardened opinions, we tend to guard what little we know of a matter, and shun the wider and deeper knowledge available to us. Holding on to our limited perceptions, we make faulty assumptions that lead to error-prone, misbegotten behaviors and actions that result in difficult, pain-filled lives. Our emerging individual, on the other hand, breaks out of these limitations, embracing the wide variety of truths, including the multiplicity of details, as well as the essence that make up the Whole of any matter or concern. From this vantage point, he is armed with the right knowledge to succeed abundantly, even infinitely in life. Again, the Internet, with its vast array of information and knowledge, serves Man’s purpose, as it provides a more integrated, many-sided view of things. The Internet is thus a social power that forces us out of our false, limited view, and gives us the opportunity to embrace a fuller, more balanced, and integral knowledge. It moves us out of our limited subjectivity and brings us to deeper and wider objectivity rooted in truth. From that vantage point, we have the necessary insight and wisdom to redirect the course of our lives so that we can fulfill our fondest hopes and dreams. Over time, the Internet could even mature into something even more significant and unprecedented in human history: a shared fount of profound Intelligence that anyone could tap into in order to navigate life’s challenges, opportunities, and mysteries. The inquiring individual could e.g. at any moment in time know precisely which direction to take in a situation to attract the greatest results in the shortest period of time with the least effort. In this way, the Internet can become an instrument and vehicle for our greatest efficiency in life. Over time, individuals can then contribute their own unique insights and powerful life experiences to this oracle-like organization of Intelligence -- expanding and enriching it ad infinitum. Eventually the Internet can mature into a fundamental pillar of society that serves to educate us about the true nature of life so we are empowered to reach the stars. As we look out at the arc of our human existence, of the progress we have made over the millennia, and, in particular, the rapid changes in human consciousness that are occurring today, it seems only right that this self-empowered, inner directed, highly conscious new type of person should appear. The emergence of this True Individual is the logical consequence of everything that has come before. Because of the freedom we have acquired, because of our ever-increasing mental bent, and because of our yearning to know the many-sided, true truth of things, there is a compulsion of Nature to produce the next iteration of human life. It is the True Individual. In parallel and concord with these developments, we see a powerful new system of society taking shape -- the Internet --, which is serving this New Individual’s needs in the extreme. Together they indicate that a new form of human existence is forming that is at once dynamic, creative, and spiritual in nature. It is a sign of the next stage of human progress: a signal of our evolution into a New Way of Living. Also See: Individual and Individuality Stages of individuality Internet Project Internet Category:Internet